Career high for Leap To Fame

“It’s simply amazing what he can do, how strong he is, how much he wants to win and how he just keeps powering up.” This was trainer driver Grant Dixon’s reaction to his champion pacer Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) winning the $1,000,000 Listed The Race by Sport Nation at Cambridge tonight.

Most pre-race predictions of the start were out the window in the pacing feature.

Kingman powered up early from his wide draw and was able to get in front of Leap To Fame, with Captains Knock taking up the pace.

“It just changed so quick. I was just desperate to get ahead of Swayzee because I thought if I didn’t, I was going to be in a world of pain.”

Driver Luke McCarthy was happy to sit parked with Kingman outside Captains Knock and leave Leap To Fame three wide. Kingman was then taken to the top, leaving Leap To Fame parked.

“Kingman has been hard to beat for us and I didn’t want to take him cheaply, so I thought I had to be at him a bit to try and outstay him. And my horse was able to do that.”

Running across the top bend Leap To Fame soon mastered Kingman and turning in, put a gap on his breathless rivals.

“I just thought there would be a few backmarkers coming because they’d gone so hard, so I did go for him to keep going. He was just amazing how he kept going through the line.”

LEAP TO FAME REPLAY

At the line Leap To Fame was in his own universe seven lengths in front of Akuta, with Swayzee coming from the clouds a length and a half back in third.

“New Zealand really embraces their harness racing. It’s just been a great trip.”

The winning time was 2-34.5 a mile rate of 1-53 and was just outside the race and New Zealand record of 2-33.5 Leap To Fame ran last year.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink